Life, Whether We Like It Or Not
by Airi Shirokuro
Summary: Shikamaru and Ino have held this dislike of one another from first date. She's spunky, he's lazy. She's bossy, he's easy going. But what happens when Sasuke and Sakura's baby boy only has them to rely on? "Life As We Know It" based, I DO NOT OWN. Shikaino, Sasusaku, minor Naruhina and Nejiten. AU
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey all you people! This is a mainly Shikaino fic based of the story of a movie that I watched called "Life as we know it". Well enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN LIFE AS WE KNOW IT OR NARUTO!

...

"Hi." Ino said calmly.

He nodded politely, replying, "Hello."

"So." she sighed.

"So." Shikamaru repeated.

"You know, let's go to dinner!" Ino chirped.

Shikamaru and Ino awkwardly walked out side by side, heading to his car.

"So you're Sasuke's friend?" she asked, though it came out as more of a statement then a question.

"Yeah." Silence. "Hey, so, uh, how long've you-" Shikamaru started before he was cut off by Ino.

"You know what? I don't think that I want to do this. I know that you're one of Sasuke's best friends, and Sakura thought that it would be nice if you and me got together, but this will not work."

He raised an eyebrow. "Honestly?"

"I mean, I'm sorry, you're cute and all, but you don't seem to be the one for me." Ino apologized quickly.

Shikamaru looked at her. "Okay then."

...FEW MONTHS LATER...

"Oh my gawsheez Sak, he's beautiful." Ino crooned.

"He looks l-like you, Sa-sakura." Hinata whispered.

"What's this little Uchiha's name?" Tenten asked, her young daughter Tenshiko on her lap.

Sakura smiled at her best friends and Sasuke, who had been focused on their first child for a whole fifteen minutes since he was born, sharingan activated to record it forever.

"Itachi." she whispered. "Little Itachi Haruno Uchiha."

"Who's the godparents?" Naruto asked.

Sakura looked at him. "Well, naruto, we naturally picked you, but," she sighed, "Ino was so annoying. She kept whining to my hormonal pregnant body about being godmother. So we picked you, Shikamaru, and Ino."

Ino smiled, and choked her friend in a hug. "YAY!" then realized that Sakura had said, "Shikamaru".

"Wait, SHIKAMARU?"

...ONE YEAR LATER...

"Happy Birthday Itachi!" Tenshiko said, handing her aunt a gift, and Hanari babbled in his baby voice.

Sakura and Itachi greeted them, along with their parents Neji and Tenten, and Hinata and Naruto.

"So where's Ino?" Tenten asked.

"Already getting everything set." Sakura answered, coddling her son. "She's so excited. I think that she has been planning this party for the past year!" She set him down, and started to introduce him to the other kids. "Itachi, this is Hanar-"

Suddenly, there was a crash, and a shrill cry of Shikamaru's name. Sakura looked at her friends, then ran over, and saw a broken glass vase, multicoloured shards scattered across the floor.

"What happened?" Neji asked, carrying his daughter in his arms, who was babbling about and squirming.

Itachi was crying in Naruto's arms as Hanari was with his wife. Sasuke carefully pulled his son into his arms, while Naruto and Tenten helped clean up the mess.

"Alright," Tenten said, clapping her hands. She was the only one who didn't slice herself with glass. "So what happened again?" she questioned Ino.

"Well," she hissed, looking at the pineapple haired man washing the blood off his hands, "I was fixing one of the flower arrangements when mister smarty-pants over here knocked it over with his stupid ELBOW!"

"Hey," Shikamaru argued, face bored. "You're the one who knocked it over, I just walked into get some coke."

She fumed and marched out. Everyone winced when she screamed and slammed the door shut.

Then she walked in again, smile on her face. "So let's get started! We have to be all ready before Itachi's little friends get here!"

Everybody sighed.

...

"Hey," Shikamaru said quietly, sitting beside Ino on the hammock in the Uchiha's back porch. Everybody else was inside having cake, and she was all alone. "Why aren't you inside?"

Ino looked up. "Uh, tired." she mumbled.

Shikamaru sighed, and lay down on the hammock. "Well, it's a nice night. I usually watch clouds, but on a clear summer night like this, I like to see the stars. They're beautiful."

She looked up. "Yeah, I guess they are." She looked at him again, and he sat up. His face was serious and sincere.

"I'm sorry, for earlier, by the way." then he walked back into the loud festivities.

She sighed. "That's not what I want you to apologize for."

...

"Bye bye now, have a nice night!" Ino smiled warmly and waved the customer off. She smiled, and got out from behind the counter of her little flower and pastry business, named Fleurs. Flipping the open sign to closed, she grabbed herself an eclair, and flopped down onto a chair. She huffed, "Why am I still single?"

Suddenly, the telephone rang. "Fleurs' flower and pastry, how can I help you?" she answered with less pep then usual.

"Uh huh. Next week? Yeah. Yuh-huh. Two dozen? Would you like them in strawberry, blueberry or apple? Alright. Eight of each. And your name? Nara Shikaku. Alright. The subtotal will be twenty five dollars. So two dozen danishes, eight of blueberry, strawberry, and apple, by the ninth of May, correct? Okay, thank you for doing business with us, Mr. Nara. Yes, have a good night too."

She finished filling out the order form with a sigh, when she realized who he just spoke to. "Mister Shikaku Nara!"

She dialed her fathers number, and she told him that his best friend was in town, then drove home.

...

Shikamaru groaned along with his father. "Mom, you don't have to throw me a birthday party, I'm fucking-"

"That Temari girl?" His father ventured, while his mother smacked him over the head.

"-anyways, I mean I'm twenty-three, I have my own place, and you're my MOM."

She raised an eyebrow. "What about me being your mother?"

He groaned and looked at his father. "How do you live with this troublesome woman?"

Shikaku shrugged. "She's interesting."

Shikamaru frowned and looked up at his mother from his spot beside his father on the couch. "Well, uh, it's embarrassing."

She looked shocked, and was stuck on the spot for a moment, looking at her son.

"Uh, hon? Can you move? We're kind of missing the game." her husband said calmly.

She turned, huffing and frowning. She saw the telephone beside her, and threw it at Shikaku.

"Call the pastry service. And the cake place. And the pizza place. And any other place you think that you should call. We are throwing this party for Shikamaru!" she smiled. "And we're inviting ALL of his friends."

He sighed along with his son, pineapple style hair sagging. "Alright, alright."

The woman smiled, walking out of the living room. "Good. Now, call the little pastry and flower shop named Fleurs, they make the best danishes."

Shikamaru grunted in discontent. "I wanna sleep. We missed the whole game. Hey dad, why do you listen to her anyways?"

He smiled. "She's troublesome."

His son only frowned deeper and headed back to his place after saying bye to his mom.

...

Both adults were thinking the same thing while behind the wheel. "What am I doing with my life?"

...

A/N: so whattaya think? Good enough for a second chapter? Leave it in the Reviews! Thanks peeps, Airi out!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This chapter was more of a filler, but I had fun writing it. :)

...

"Welcome, welcome!" Mrs. Nara chirped to Sasuke and Sakura, who carried their child. "And who is this little cutey pie?"

Sakura coaxed her baby boy into looking at the woman, and giving a smile.

Itachi looked like he had just thrown up once the woman cooed and pinched his cheeks repeatedly. He started bawling uncontrollably when she asked to carry him.

"Yo, Shikamaru," Sasuke said, leading him away from his annoying mother, handing a blue box to him, "What's up with this? It's date night. Do you know what happens after the date part?"

Shikamaru sighed and outwardly showed his disgust. "Bro, too much."

"Ha, whatever." Sasuke patted him on the back, just as Ino stepped in carrying Hanari with Naruto and Hinata.

"Hey there!" Naruto said, punching Shikamaru in the arm, "Twenty-four birthday beats today!" he handed him a large cardboard box.

Sasuke caught Naruto in a headlock and began with their pestering one another.

"ASSUKE!"

"What was that supposed to mean?"

"It's your name, Sasuke, combines with ASS! ASSUKE!"

"Dobe..."

"Hn, I see they're back at it." Neji muttered to Shikamaru, bringing it in for a man hug. "Happy birthday bro."

"Thanks man. Where's my gift?" he joked, mussing his hair which his mother had nagged him to leave down.

Neji's eyes glinted when his wife came beside him and handed Shikamaru his gift. Tenshiko was tugging in Shikamaru's arm, and Shikamaru, always one to give in to cute toddlers in poofy green dresses, pulled her onto his shoulders.

"Answer your question?" Neji smirked, ogling his wife up and down. It just so happened that Neji chose out his wife's attire, explaining the slit up her leg...

"Let's leave you daddy to visually molest you mommy, okay, Tenshiko?" he said, bored. She babbled her consent, brown curly hair falling from her updo, poofy dress getting poofier by the second.

"Im guessing that your uncle Lee gave you that dress?" Shikamaru asked the two year old. She nodded, mumbling, "LEE LEE!"

Speaking of which, guess who had just arrived with Kiba and Shino?

"IT IS I! THE GREAT GREEN BEAST OF MANHATTEN!" Lee boomed, shaking the ground.

He stepped in the house in a ridiculous white tux and green tie, complete with a top hat and cane. He approached Shikamaru, and grabbed his top hat off of his head. He waved his cane, and POOF! Shikamaru's present was in the hat.

"Oh thanks man, I guess." Shikamaru grumbled, as Tenshiko laughed and clapped her hands on his back. He took the wrapped box and placed it on top of the other gifts on the ground.

Kiba came up to him next, with a puppy. He stuffed the slobbering furry mess into Shikamaru's face, as Tenshiko petted it happily.

"What's that thing?" Shikamaru asked, surprised.

Kiba frowned. Then explained, "Well, uh, Akamaru got the neighbors dog pregnant and, erm, we got half the litter. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Twenty-four means you get a puppy!"

Shikamaru pushed him away, "O...Kay then."

Kiba was screaming, "I'll leave him in your backyard!" as he walked to greet Shino.

"Yo, Shino, how's life?" he asked as Tenshiko tried to grab the shades on the mans face.

"Alright. Happy birthday." he said simply, handing him a thin box in an orange wrapping.

Eventually, everyone came, and the party was in full swing. Except for a certain baker and florist.

...

"Shit! Moegi? Moegi! Thank god, I need you to run the business for the rest of the day, I have something to go to. Konohamaru and Hanabi will help you out, mwah mwah, kiss kiss, AU REVOIIIIR!" Ino chirped, rushing out the door with an order of Danishes and a cake.

"Alright," she said to herself, "I can drop this off on the way to Shikamaru's party," and she arranged the pastries.

The cake was for the lazy bum's birthday.

She didn't realize that those pastries were actually for the twenty-four year old's party.

...

"Ooh!" Temari giggled, as the child on her boss' shoulders buried her face in a green cupcake, mouth smothered in buttercream frosting.

"Let's get you washed up!" Tenten said, lifting her babe from the bored birthday boy.

Temari laughed again when the child wriggled about, and joined Tenten with her child.

Then, the door rang. Shikamaru flattened his hair, and blew out a strand from his face. It was troublesome having it down, but the things that his mother can do.

He recalled on what had happened so far. All the guests had eaten and arrived, afterwards hanging around the porch. That troublesome dog that Kiba had brought for him had destroyed the cake his mother had made for him, right before he was to blow out the candles, Tenshiko hadn't left his shoulders (actually, the tot was the only reason why he hadn't stabbed himself in the heart yet), and Temari had squished the life out of him in apology for being late.

He sighed, when he opened the door, and he saw familiar blue eyes. "Ino? I thought you wouldn't come."

She had a bewildered look on her face. "What? Who are you?"

Shikamaru scratched his head. "Shikamaru."

Her eyebrows raised. "But, but you look so... So..." she shook her head clear. "I'm here for a delivery, to a Mister... Nara... He's your dad isn't he!" she put two and two together, losing grip on the box.

Before the box of pastries hit the floor, they both lunged for it, catching it at the same time. They looked up at one another, and their noses bumped because of closeness, and they blushed.

Ino started, "Uhm, well, happy birthday! Sasuke told me that your favourite cake flavor was vanilla, so I kind of, um, made you a cake." She stepped out of the house, and walked over to her car, Shikamaru watching her as she made her way into the trunk.

Something was different about her. She looked different. Acted different. Smelled different. She seemed so much prettier, and nicer, and defininitly, definitely se-

"Shika-darling! Who's at the door?" his mother chirped, as she cantered over to him, catching his gaze at the blonde heading near them.

"Hey ma. This is Ino."

Her face brightened. And she giggled. "Oh you've grown since the last time I've seen you, Ino-chan!" She pulled the Yamanaka into a hug, while she awkwardly balanced the cake. "Are you two dating?"

The two blushed. "No, Ma'am. How do you know who I am?"

"Yeah ma, how?"

Mrs. Nara took the cake, and led Ino and Shikamaru to the kitchen, where she explained the close friendship between the Yamanaka's, Nara's, and the Akimichi's.

"Oh.." Ino sighed. "Oh! You know my dad!"

"Exactamundo, little one." she chuckled, "You're so big now, hon."

"Yeah... I'm gonna go call everyone in for some cake!" Ino smiled at the older woman.

The party went great, to then. Shikamaru and Ino got along, everyone had fun.

Until someone brought in the beer.

...

A/N: And that's the end of this chapter! Who do you think will getdrunk first? What do you think will happen? Leave all your ideas in the reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, this chapter is also filler, but it's important filler! Kind of. Well, either way you never know what can happen when the naruto gang (AU or not) gets drunk. Enjoy!

...

"Oi, Naruto, what's that?" Kiba asked.

Naruto proudly held up a six pack of beer, and announced, "I have about four more in the trunk of my car."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Choji announced, punching the air and grabbing a bottle.

"I don't think that's a very..." Sasuke began, before his childhood friend and rival grabbed him by the back of his shirt collar and dragged him to the back porch.

"Hn." Neji sighed. He, Shino, and Sasuke decided against the drinking, but that didn't stop his rambunctious wife from plopping Tenshiko onto his lap and drinking with the boys (and Ino).

An hour and two boxes later half the men were in alcohol induced wonderlands (ahem, they were drunk and/or passed out), Tenten was attempting to seduce her husband (which was quite easy, thanks to her clothing choice and sex-deprived partner; they borrowed Shikamaru's basement and handed their kid to Hinata), Lee was whimpering at the way that his comrades didn't let him drink, fiddling with his iced tea straw, and Shikamaru was trying to fend off a snapping Ino who had one too many drinks.

"And you too Kiba!" she hissed, slurring at the angry Inuzuka's name. "You, you allllll don't deserve all this!" and before she could pull down her skirt, panties and all, Shikamaru tackled her to the ground and slapped a hand to her mouth.

"Will you shut the hell up?" Shikamaru hissed.

She was defiant, biting his finger. "No."

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, and didn't know what pushed him to do so, but he forcefully kissed her, intent on shutting her up.

He felt ice-fire on his lips and he didn't know if it was the alcohol or her, but his mind was in eight different places at once, not noticing the hoots and hollers coming from Kiba and Naruto.

She was frozen on the spot. His warm lips sent jolts into her spine, and her lips moved on their own accord. The sound that came from her was quiet, unnoticed in all the chaos.

It was when he lined his tongue on her lips that they were snapped into their senses.

She roughly shoved him off of her body.

"What... The..." Shikamaru stumbled to find words as he was pushed off. Sasuke was at his side in an instant, while Lee and Choji helped him up.

Ino was staring at him, frightened, and pushed herself back, away from him, afraid. Sakura and Hinata were on her automatically, once they'd seen her push him off through the window.

"Ino, Ino, it's all-" Hinata started.

"He kissed me." Ino whispered, quiet enough for only Sakura to hear.

Her best friend felt anger bubbling up. Sakura took on an expression of rage, and balled her fists, standing up, and turning to face a trembling Shikamaru. "You did WHAT?"

Sasuke stood between Sakura before she did any harm. "Sakura, don't do anything you'll regret."

Sakura fumed. "He kissed her. HE KISSED HER! That doesn't happen, remember Sasuke-KUN? HUH? NOBODY KISSES HER AND YOU KNOW WHY!"

It was silent.

Some pondered on whether or not to cut in and ask why, but decided against it.

Sasuke pulled his wife into his arms as she wept onto his shoulder. "No.. Nobody will ever... Ever do that... Again..." she exhaled.

Ino closed her eyes and remembered that night. That dreadful night.

...

"Hello? Dad! Mom! I'm home!" she swung her University of Konoha blazer onto the couch and walked around searching for her parents. Hearing a noise that sounded like her father hitting his elbow on the bookshelf again.

She chuckled and shook her head, matching up the stairs.

The sight she beheld was none that she was prepared to.

There, lips shut tight with duct-tape, hands tied, and a knife to their necks, were her parents, tears streaming down her mother's cheeks in desperation. She looked up, and noticed the man who had them tied up.

He strode forward, long black hair swaying and eyes full of evil. He smirked, looking her up and down in her University outfit.

He approached her, and pulled her into the hall, as her parents screeched and weeped past their closed mouths.

When the man locked the door, he turned to Ino, and pushed her onto the wall. She gasped, and tried to push him off, but silenced her screams with a rough unloving kiss. He shoved her down the hall as she, crying, was stripped of her clothes and virginity that night unwillingly.

Nobody but her parents, Sakura, the girls, and Sasuke knew.

Ino Yamanaka was raped.

...

Her breath started to catch, and she hyperventilated as she thought up the possibilities of that night.

The man was going to kill her parents, if she didn't do it. It wasn't her fault. It was his. It was his. To this day she doesn't know who the man was. To this day she held onto the fear of being used. Kissed. Touched. Held.

Shikamaru was aware of this now, by reading her body language. He visually saw her wince when Tenten and Neji's mingled cries of ecstasy flew out the basement window and into the silent yard. He read her feared eyes when they landed on his face, his lips. And, some other, confusing feeling when she touched her fingertips to her lips. Wonder? No. Anger? No.

Love?

It can't.

It just can't.

...

It was about an hour or so later when Shino drove Kiba and Lee home, before Lee drank anything (he had almost snapped and chugged some root beer instead).

Choji was gonna crash on the Nara's couch til he lived out the hangover he was expecting to have, so he stayed, and Neji and Tenten decided on leaving since Tenshiko made a "poo-poo" and everyone else found one reason or another to leave.

That left the three of them, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji.

"Oh, no I insist! We must drop you off, you can't drive like this! You'll get arrested!" Mrs. Nara chirped.

Ino shook her head, insisting on walking. "My house is right there."

She smiled. "Well, if you insist." she walked her to the door. "You take care now!"

"I will. Bye Mrs. Nara, Mr. Nara, Choji! Happy birthday Shikamaru!"

...

She swivelled on her heel, murderous intent in her dark eyes, marching towards her son. "What did you do to that girl?"

Shikamaru raised both brows, settling himself between his father and best friend. He slumped his shoulders, comfy, when the woman screeched the words out.

"What did I do?" he asked calmly. He breathed lightly, afraid she found out about the kiss.

She furrowed her brow. "You let her walk away without a single offer to drive her home!"

His father sighed. "He just drank beer, that's illegal."

She huffed. "Up the stairs. To your room. Think."

He sighed and hoisted himself up with her shoulders and padded upstairs. When he was gone, Mrs. Nara went on to fixing some drinks and snacks for Choji. Scooting towards the tubby boy, Shikaku said in an almost whispering tone, "So did they really kiss or was Kiba just fucking with my mind?"

Choji gasped upon hearing the man say the "f" word, but nodded.

Shikaku eased back into the cushions. "Eh. That's my boy."

...

He laid in his bed. He planned on sleeping, but instead he actually thought about it. Over and over he touched his lips gingerly with a fingertip, pressed them onto his lips to try and imitate the feeling of her lips on his. He probed his mind for the source of that feeling, but found none. He grumbled and stuffed his face into a pillow.

Ino is so troublesome.

...

She sat there. Just sat, brushing her hair. Staring back at her reflection. Silent. Every once in a while she would stop and stare at her lips. Then pressed her hand to her heart when it's pulse quickened. She was frustrated. Finally, she got up, and tangled herself in the blankets. Sleep didn't take her. She was left lying awake in bed, unable to comprehend her feelings.

Shikamaru is so troublesome.


	4. Chapter 4

Eyes were blinking in the sunlight filtering into her pastel purple room as her radio alarm woke her up at 8am, playing the latest single from artist Tayuya. Ino stared up at the white ceiling and listened to a few lyrics.

"You're floating away on the bittersweet winds and, I can't catch up to you, again," she smiled, singing softly, turning her gaze to a photo of her with Sakura when they were twelve.

Then, switching the clock off, she climbed out of bed, took a quick, cold shower and slipped on her white blazer and work slacks, with her simple blue ruffled top and a small purse.

Her hair was down, surprisingly, as she drove to

Fleurs.

...

It was spiking up again. How troublesome.

Shikamaru had practically cleaned out his gel bottle due to the most serious case of bed head on Earth. Really. He couldn't even get it straight enough to tie it up. It was that bad.

Eventually, he gave up and hosed it down with a warm shower, taking his time to scrub out all that hair gel.

He's gonna be late.

...

"Hello, welcome, and how may I help you?"

The sandy blonde smiled and said, "One iced café mocha with a cheese Danish, and... what do you think I should get for my boss?"

Ino laughed. "Waiting on a promotion, eh?"

The other woman laughed. "Kind of."

Ino smiled. "I'll get you your cafe mocha and Danish, and how's about a French vanilla and strawberry doughnut?"

"Perfect."

"Alright! It comes down to $6.54, cash or credit?"

"Cash, please, and I didn't quite catch your name," the woman asked, fiddling with one of four ponytails.

"It's Ino, here's my card." She pulled a business card from under the counter.

The woman gladly accepted it while placing her coin purse on the counter. "I'm Temari."

Ino laughed. "Well then Temari, I believe get this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

"Me too. Bye!"

Ino waved her off.

...

Well I'm an idiot, Shikamaru thought.

He had cold cafe mocha on his clothes.

That's what he gets when he says yes to a woman asking him out. A soggy hug and more dry cleaning bills.

Ugh. Troublesome.

...

"You need to loosen up your grip a little bit." Ino instructed Moegi.

Just then, someone familiar entered the shop. "Tch. I dunno. What do you think I should get?" His eyes travelled along the pastries and landed on her. A hand gently waved.

She lightly tapped Konohamaru on the shoulder and took the place at the register. "Hey Shikamaru. What can I get you?"

"Dating help."

"Ha, you, on a date?" Ino laughed awkwardly, trying to make banter. She died off as he stated her down seriously.

"I'm not kidding. It's tonight."

"Well I'm working! Later too." She quieted. "So, need anything besides that?"

He looked up at the menu. "Double double, I am never going near a cafe mocha ever again."

Ino laughed. "I noticed."

He smirked.

...

"Who was that? An ex?" Moegi questioned.

"Nothing." Ino brushed her off, and she stayed quiet.

...

Shikamaru sighed. Oh well. Poor Temari. She has no idea what she's in for.

Or Shikamaru.


	5. Chapter 5

_Okay Shikamaru, you can do this. Breathe. _

He straightened his jeans and dress shirt, heading for the door. When he answered it, the blonde's eyes were chilling.

"Let's go? I'm starving."

He smirked. "At least act more enthusiastic, I'm not gonna buy that plastic smile."

Ino frowned. "Well, whatever. I'm here as your practice date, so don't complain."

She waltzed in with an ice blue nightgown, and matching heels. "Be happy I took a couple hours off of work for you."

He gave her a crooked smile. "You didn't have to dress up so much. You're not going out with me."

She clacked down the hall of his bachelors pad and took a seat at the living space. "I know. But you never know. Hey, I've always thought that you lived with your parents-"

"I don't. I only stay there every once in a while." Shikamaru tsked, a hand running through his hair. "You talk a lot."

"I know." She smiled. "Now, date time." She pointed tithe other side of the coffee table.

He sighed. "Yippee."

...

"No, no no no!"

Two hours into date practice, about ten minutes til the real date, Ino was screeching about his etiquette, like no sleeping, burping, yawning, stretching, ogling your date, ogling other girls, ogling other guys, ignoring the girl, fidgeting, or slouching.

"And another thing, take off your pants." She finished.

He looked at her like she was crazy. "What?"

"Take those blue jeans off, you're not Miley Cyrus." She said simply. "Actually, take everything off. Your outfit is horribly matched."

Not knowing what to do, he took his shirt off for her, left in only his jeans and a maroon tie.

And she immediately reddened.

_I didn't realise that he was so... So... Hot. _

This was the perfect time for Temari to walk into the room, after she had impatiently tapped on the door for five minutes, and realised that it was unlocked.

So, she had the wrong idea when she saw the two. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Temari?" Ino asked, looking at her in her yellow dress.

"Ino? What are you..." She glared at Shikamaru, "and you, what are you..."

Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome."

"Well, it doesn't matter, I still need you two!" She sighed.

Both of them said in unison, "WHAAA?"

She smiled, waving in a tall blonde man in a suit. "This is Cato. I needed someone to double date with, and Shikamaru-kun said yes."

Ino glared at him.

Shikamaru frowned. "And what about her?"

Temari and Ino looked at him incredulously. "She's your date, right?"

He sighed. "I suppose I should put my shirt on first."

"Yeah." Ino laughed, walking with Temari as Cato patted Shikamaru on the back.

...

"That was the best." a sopping wet Ino laughed, looking at Shikamaru as they entered his place.

"Not funny." He jutted his lip out.

She started to laugh even more hysterically. "Right, so you being shoved into Temari and causing her to fall right into a waiter isn't funny. Neither is you and me falling into the fountain in the mall because Cato has a fear of squirrels. And, oh right, it's also not funny that-"

"Don't. Say. It." He gritted as he made coffee.

"Cato, he, he ended up being gay for you! Oh, ohhh I'm dying!" She laughed.

He frowned. "Get out of my house, you're insulting me."

She immediately stopped laughing. "Fine. But technically, it's an apartment."

She headed home.

...

The sweat on his palms was getting unnatural, and he was gripping to that steering wheel on his SUV for dear life.

His pink haired wife was on his arm, and they both knew what was gonna happen. The fire on the hood of the car had seeped the heat into his heart.

They couldn't breathe anymore.

"I love you Sasuke." she whispered weakly.

"I love you Sakura." he said, planting a kiss on her dying lips with his last breath.

The windshield gave in, shattering into millions of pieces into their skin, and the airbags exploding, pressing the shards into their skin.

They swerved into the side of the road, and broke through the metal fence, into the forest beneath.

They died. Their black car had been completely totalled on the front of it, and the truck that had collided with them had swiveled into the bush and started a fire, which soon ate up their SUV and corpses, leaving their limp bodies charred when the police had found them.

Sasuke and Sakura died. That's it. There isn't much to it.

...

"I'll, I'll be right there." Ino whispered into the phone. Tears had sprung to her eyes, as she hung up her cell phone, just arrived home.

She grabbed her purse and sweater off of the hook, heart pounding, eyes watering, and headed off in her car.

All the while, she was thinking, "Sakura, please don't die on me."

...

"Alright, alright Temari, but this is important, I have to go now!" Shikamaru reasoned to his secretary, while she hissed about their horrible double date over the phone.

"No, BASTARD!" she squealed on the line.

He hissed out a breath and ran a hand through his spiky hair. His heart was beating. "Okay, Temari, I DON'T FUCKING CARE RIGHT NOW! Look, I just got a call from the police and the hospital saying my best friend was in a collision. Let me go."

She was silent.

"Have fun with your gay boyfriend." He hung up.

And he drove away from the building.

"Sasuke, don't die."

...

By the time Shikamaru arrived at the hospital, Ino, Naruto, and Hinata were all there.

"Sas..." he started, then saw their remorseful faces. "No, they're not dead. They, they're stronger than that."

Ino's eyes watered and a tear slid down, as Naruto slammed his fist into the wall, tears streaming over his cheeks, while his wife sobbed against him.

Neji approached them with a weeping Tenten, and stifled the tears. With them was a somber faced police officer.

It was then that Shikamaru fell to his knees, and cried.

"No."


	6. Chapter 6

Sakura's mother was on her knees, face moist with tears. Her daughter's limp, blanketed body was in front of her face, on the hospital bed. Her tears had violently racked her body until she could no longer breathe.

Her husband was limp on the seat beside her, eyes red, and face moist.

"Goodbye Sakura," he whispered, kissing the cold hand of his daughter, we will miss you."

...

Mikoto Uchiha was seated at her younger son's side, and she breathed calmly. She could no longer cry, her lungs and eyes were sore with tears, and she just stared at Sasuke. Her eldest son was gone. He had gone and died on duty. Her eldest son Itachi was the head of the police in the district, twenty years old, when he died. She was alone, because her husband was inspecting the crash.

She was tired. So... Tired.

...

At the joint funeral, Naruto stepped up to say a couple words on his best friends, and their lives.

He fumbled when he started to mention what they really meant to him, and he was left crying up in front of the guests.

Ino was silent in her tears, and couldn't stop her sobs from disturbing the child put into her care. Itachi wriggled in her grasp, eyes closed and mouth open in a loud cry.

Goodbye.

...

"I'm sorry, but can we just..."

The blonde and brunette were seated before a lawyer, a woman named Kurenai, and speaking about who Itachi will stay with now that his parents are deceased.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Yamanaka," the woman reasoned, pulling her wavy hair into a neat ponytail. "We need to know whether to send him to you, Naruto-san, or and adoption home."

Shikamaru muttered something about troublesome attorneys, and said, "Excuse me, Miss Yuhi-"

"-It's Missus Sarutobi-"

"-I apologise, Missus Sarutobi, but does it really have it written that both me AND Ino must-"

"Yes. No exceptions. There was even a string of profanities said by the mother to me, making sure I make sure that you raise him together if they were to die a perilous death."

"Ugh. Sakura," Ino looked to the sky outside the window, where Naruto was playing with his children and Itachi, "when I'm dead and see you, I'm so gonna kill you again."

...

"I guess there isn't any helping it." Shikamaru reasoned.

"Alright. You get the guest room, I get Master with Itachi-kun."

"Wait, what? Why? Shouldn't I-"

Ino shut his mouth with her hand, saying, "the crib's in the master bedroom. I have to sleep there so I could watch out for Itachi-kun."

Shikamaru said, "Why can't I watch out for Itachi?"

Ino waved her hand into his face, then he gave her the puppy dog eyes. She couldn't believe how cute it was. "Alright, but just tonight, okay?"

He nodded, then carried Itachi, saying, "you're my roommate tonight in the fluffy bed!"

"Wait you just wanted to sleep in that bed didn't you?"

"...no."

Ino sighed, then smirked. "Alright, but I bet Sakura and Sasuke had sex on that bed."

"..."

"NO BACKSIES!" the blonde ran off to the upper level.

Shikamaru looked at Itachi. "Should I go after her?"

The baby smiled.

...

"Okay so," Ino recited, "you're saying that we have to live together, and you'll be checking with us every once a month?"

Kurenai nodded. "To see how the baby is. It's a just an examining time, I'll be out of your hair by half a year. We have to see if you two are good guardians."

Shikamaru nodded. "Troublesome, but reasonable. Thank you for informing us. When is the first...?"

Kurenai looked between them, Ino in her work clothes, about to leave to Fleurs, and Shikamaru in sweats and an old shirt in order to watch Itachi.

"Tomorrow. Be ready."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: IM BACK! So I've set up an updating schedule on my profile, so if you could kindly check the schedule there it would be wonderful. well now that that's straightened out, ON WITH THE SHOW!

...

Slumping onto the couch, clad in blue pyjamas and a grey shirt, Shikamaru turned on the TV to "A Thousand Ways to Die". Stretching, he slumped his head onto the cushion by his head.

"Shikamaru!" she squealed as she ran down the stairs with the baby in arm. "Are you ready? Kurenai-san might-Shikamaru, don't watch that in front of the baby! It's too violent! Can you go upstairs and get ready for pete's sake?"

Yes, he was slacking off again. But who could blame him?

Grumbling something about troublesome women, he got off the couch and flipped the channel to Bob the Builder before lazily walking up the stairs to get dressed.

"You're a bitch in the morning, Ino."

"I know."

...

The black haired woman pushed the doorbell, stepping back to straighten herself out. There was the sound of light footsteps, and soon, Miss Yamanaka's smiling face was in front of hers.

"Missus Sarutobi!" Ino chirped, "right on time! Come on in, make yourself at home."

Kurenai stepped in, nodding to the man heading towards them with the baby in his arms. "Now, Yamanaka-san, you can call me Kurenai."

"Of course! By all means, call me Ino," he blonde grinned, "so where does your checkup start?"

"Hmm... The kitchen. You know, to see all the safety protocol, the usual."

Shikamaru nodded, saying, "of course, this way please, Kurenai-san."

When the woman stepped away from the couple, Ino looked at Shikamaru encouragingly, as he stared at her in concern. "Go, go!" she whispered.

The two (and Itachi) walked into the kitchen with smiling faces (Shikamaru's more a grimace than a smile).

"So, I assume that you have all the locks and protective covers on your drawers and shelves?"

Ino nodded fervently, "Yes, Sakura and Sasuke had them installed before, an we haven't touched them. I myself added the stove covers and such."

Kurenai nodded, apparently impressed at the couple's capability to keep protocol. "Mm-hmm. Can you tell me, Ino, what do you and Shikamaru feed Itachi?"

She gestured to the cupboards, and opening a few, showcasing their collection of baby food, milk powder, and snacks. "We had just gone shopping for baby food a few days ago, we're stacked. Also, we have some fresh fruit on the table, which I sometimes purée for a little fresh snack for the baby."

"I see. Now, lets move on to the baby's play area."

"The living room! Yes, okay, this way, Miss." Ino directed the older woman to the living area, where the couple had set up the play pen, and baby toy box. Shikamaru proceeded to place the baby into the play pen. Ino and Shikamaru led Kurenai into a seat on the couch.

"Has Itachi been biting things lately?"

Shikamaru nodded. "We have little gummy toys that he can bite in his play pen."

"Okay. Make sure he isn't anywhere near any electric cables then."

"Any place else, ma'am?"

"Hmm... Just one. You two and Itachi's sleeping spaces."

"Ehe..." Shikamaru said suddenly, realising that he hasn't cleaned up the bed.

Ino interjected, "Wait, what do you mean by 'you two'? Are you talking about one of us and Itachi or-"

"Of course, it would be best if Itachi had the both of you there with him to watch over him. It seems as if Ino-san knows what she is doing, and Shikamaru-san, you seem very useful for those things you cannot do yourself, like when you could put him to sleep in the middle of the night. After all, two heads are better than one."

"Alright. This way, Kurenai-san."

They headed up the stairs, and when Ino saw a little toy basketball on the stair, she glared at Shikamaru, who was currently wrestling with Itachi.

"Puh-lay-lay!" The baby cooed, saying something about playing again.

"Yes, you'll play later, 'Tach."

They stepped into the master bedroom, where Shikamaru and Itachi currently rested. The crib was as usual, secured and stable with a little blue teddy bear lying in it, as well as his blanket and pillows.

The main bed, however, was a mess.

It's blankets seemed to have exploded into a mountain of sheets and pillows, almost overflowing off the bed and onto the floor.

"Well, the baby's crib seems alright, though the bed could use... Improvement."

"As in?"

Kurenai huffed. "Maybe cleaning up everything?"

...

The pair slumped onto the bed, utterly pooped. Once Kurenai left, Itachi had decided to go on a two and a half hour fit of crying, then napping until it was seven. Then, there was the matter of cooking dinner, courtesy of Ino while Shikamaru fed the baby, and putting Itachi to bed.

So basically, the couple was tired. Utterly exhausted. When Shikamaru turned to his left on the master bed, his eyes focused on the babe snoozing in his crib. The soft cheek of the baby was cradled in a hand, the other hand cuddling a teddy bear to his body. Short dark blue hair sat messily on his head. Then he turned to the right and saw Ino's face not two inches away from his own.

Her usually bright blue eyes were shut, and her pink lips were parted. Long eyelashes touched her checks, and strands of long blonde hair tangled on her scalp. She breathed gently, fruity breath tickling his nose.

She had never looked so beautiful to him.

Unconsciously, he reached a hand out to brush some strands of gold out of her lashes behind her ear. He watched her face, expecting black lashes to flutter open any second. She simply shivered and hugged her arms closer to her body. His gaze travelled down her arm, and traced it lightly with a fingertip, leaving numerous goosebumps in its wake.

Suddenly, the phone started ringing. Shikamaru turned abruptly, trying his best not to wake the woman beside him. "Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Shikamaru?"

"Speaking."

"Can I talk to Ino? I need to ask her something about the shop."

"Uh," he turned to glance at her sleeping figure, "she's kind of... Sleeping right now. Leave a message?"

"Oh.. Okay, well, just tell her tomorrow morning to call Moegi. Thanks!"

"Bye," he whispered, pushing the red button to stop the call. He then took the fleece blanket and pulled it over Ino. She shifted closer to him, and he placed his head into her hair and sniffed. "Smells like sunflowers..." And he dozed off, a hand on her waist, and the other in her hair.

...

A/N: Did you enjoy it? Half of it was written in a couple weeks before the other so I'm not sure if its continuous!

Thanks for reading, and check back April 28th!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: OYASUMI MINNA! HOW HAVE YA BEEN?! I apologise if this chapter isn't as good as my A+ game, but lately Ive been caught up in a novel.

Rot & Ruin? Anyone heard of it? Yeah... I can't find any good fanfictions of that. ANYWAYS WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT TOM IMURA AND HIS SMEXINESS RIGHT NOW!

New chappie :3 more fluff :3

Enjoy...

...

When Ino woke up, she felt a warmth around her, and smelled a familiar scent. "Shika... Maru?"

His hands were around her waist, holding her body against his as his face was buried in her golden hair.

She stood, carefully, as not to wake the man. She looked at the babe, fast asleep and checked the time. "Seven Thirty!"

She headed over to the washroom and took a quick shower, then did her makeup. "Ugh," she groaned, seeing her face in the mirror. "I need some serious cleaning up!"

After fixing her mess of smudged eyeliner that she called her face and slipping into a light and airy lavender dress shirt and white jeans, she headed out of the bathroom. Tiptoeing out of the room so as not to wake the two beasts (Shikamaru wasn't that bad in the morning, but Itachi inherited his mother and father's bad morning temper) she toasted herself a piece of toast a spread some cream cheese over it.

Smiling at herself, she looked out the kitchen window.

"Another beautiful day that I have to spend at work. Oh well," she whispered to herself, "that's life for ya."

...

She walked her way to work, purse slung over her shoulder. Moegi was already in the shop when she arrived, wiping counters and unstacking chairs.

"Did you get my message?" the teen asked.

Ino cocked a brow up. "Huh? You left a message?"

"Yeah, your baby daddy answered."

"He's not my baby daddy, the kid isn't even mine. How many times to I have to say it? My private life is none of your business."

Moegi smirked. "Anyways, I left a message for you. I can't come in next week."

"What? But you're in charge of shop during the week! I have a baby to care for!"

"Have Shikamaru do it."

"He has work during the week! He had his schedule changed in order for Itachi to always have someone with him."

"Well then I guess you'll have to bring the kid to work."

"What is so important for you to miss work anyways?"

Moegi smirked once again, "my private life is none of your business."

Ino stared at the orange haired teen. "Fine."

She smiled. "Alrighty then."

...

When Ino got home that afternoon, she was exhausted to the point of passing out. Oh, and she had to explain to Shikamaru that one of them had to bring Itachi to work this week. Yay.

"Hey," the man said from the kitchen, "How was work?"

"Okay, I guess," she said as she slumped into the chair in the kitchen.

"Doesn't look like it was such a good day," he murmured as he stirred the pot.

"Lets talk about that later, okay?" she announced, looking over at him. "What are you doing anyways?"

"Making dinner. Got a problem?"

"Where'd you get the recipe? Do you know how to cook anyways?"

"Well," he sighed, "I hope that you don't mind, but I went through your recipe books."

She stood, perplexed, and dipped a spoon into the concoction. "Hmm..." She murmured as she tasted the liquid. "Chicken noodle soup... This is actually pretty good."

"Thank you."

"It's probably because its my recipe but, still, good job, 'Maru."

...

"So, what happened at work? You're usually more talkative than this."

She slowed her eating. "Actually, it's a funny story really..."

He raised his left brow at her as he looked at her face from the small table. "Really," he said in an almost condescending tone. "Did it have anything to do with the call from Moegi I got last night?"

It was her turn to look perplexed. "She called last night and you didn't tell me?"

Pointing to her with his spoon, he explained, "you left before I could wake up this morning, so I didn't get to tell you."

Ino countered by saying, "you could've woken me up when she called!"

With this statement, Shikamaru's face burned slightly, and he looked into her ice blue eyes. "I couldn't."

She raised a brow. "And why not?" Her fiery gaze was now branded into his brain.

He broke his eye contact with her, and put a hand to his forehead with a sigh, face almost completely red. "It's... Troublesome. If I'd woken you up..."

He wanted to say 'I couldn't have seen you like that', but instead said, "you would've been screaming and complaining."

Ino gave a snort, saying, "it wouldn't have been that much trouble."

Shikamaru waved her off the subject with his left hand. "Never mind that. What was it that she said anyways?"

It was Ino's turn to blush slightly. "Well, um, it's a funny story really-" she blabbered.

"You said that."

"-well, you know how this week we agreed that I go to work during the weekend, and you go to work on the week, and we switch every month? Yeah, we have I switch early." (1)

"... I'm not following you." He scratched his head. "You want to change the schedule?"

She nodded.

"But you said that this month, Moegi would take care of the shop during the week."

"She ca-a-an't. So either you stay home on Monday to Friday, and I work, or one of us bring Itachi to work."

He hissed through his teeth. "I don't know. I haven't seen what's happened... The boss'll be pissed if I miss five days... Or change my schedule so last minute..."

Ino looked depressed. "Okay, so I guess that I'll take Itachi to work. A café shouldn't be that bad, right? Better than an office!"

He looked at her oddly, and wondered how she could go from depressed to happy in zero point three seconds.

"Yeah. It should be fine."

...

That night, after Itachi was asleep in his crib, and Shikamaru was in the shower, Ino lay in bed, clad in purple pyjamas, fuzzy blue socks, and a lavender tank top.

She stared at Itachi from her point on the mattress. His serene face as he slept, his round cheeks, and pink lips. How his chest moved up and down gently. How his soft black hair was sticking out in every which way.

"I love you, Itachi," she said, a single tear trickling from her left eye. "And I'm sorry you were left to someone like me."

What she didn't know was that Shikamaru had heard her. He was already in his pyjamas when he heard the heartbroken statement.

He opened the door to see Ino crying on the middle of the bed quietly, left palm pressed into her eye, right palm covering her face.

Shikamaru walked over to the bed, and kneeled on it, taking the woman into his arms slowly. He hushed her, patting her back.

"Shhh... You're not alone... Quiet down... Stop..."

She gasped between sobs, "I-I can't do this! It's-ugh! I c-can't!"

He was surprised. He thought that everything was alright now. Pulling her up to a sitting position In front of him, he asked, "what can't you do?"

Ino sniffled, avoiding eye contact. "N-nothing."

He pulled her hands away from her dripping eyes. "Something."

She glared at the pillow behind him, as if it were the cause for all her problems. "Nothing!"

Shikamaru sighed, rolled his eyes, and leaned closer to her, pressing their foreheads together. "It's definitely something. The Ino I know wouldn't cry for just anything. Tell me."

His breath fanned over her lips as his dark eyes bored into her icey ones. The scent of mint toothpaste calmed her, and she ceased her hiccuping after a moment. When she looked calm enough, Shikamaru pulled away from her.

"Well?" He asked.

"I.. I'm sorry!"

He raised a brow as she hid her face in her hands again. "What?"

She sighed, calmed herself, and looke at him. "I'm sorry for the schedule change."

He raised both brows now. "Is that what this is all about? I said its no problem Ino, just chill."

She sighed. "I'm sorry... For being such a bitch."

He inhaled this apology for a while. After a pregnant silence, he said, "you're not a bitch. At least, not anymore. I should be the one apologising."

"For what?"

"For being a lazy ass."

She laughed out loud at this. "Yeah, well. You're not. You try. You made dinner, and you care for Itachi."

Shikamaru added, "and I deal with you..."

Ino only punched him in the shoulder. "Thanks. For everything."

He smiled. "No problem. Now, uh, we should get to sleep, tomorrow's Sunday, and you should have a talk with Moegi."

"That's a good idea," she sniffed, whipping her eyes and her nose. "Good night."

"Good night."

They settled into their respective places I the bed, turned the lights off, and after a minute of silence, Shikamaru interjected in a whisper, "oh, and if Itachi starts crying, you take care of him. I've done enough comforting for the night."

A kick in the knee. "Ow! Jeez..."

"Goodnight, Shika-kun."

"Goodnight, Ino-chan."

...

(1) they kind of have this deal;

Ino goes to work only on Sunday and Saturday, while Shikamaru goes to work Monday to Friday. They switch every month. During this chapter, it is Saturday, and they just switched into this schedule. So se just finds this out. Sorry it it isn't clear, just PM me or review (preferably PM).

Okay, so tell me about how you felt about this chappie! Bai!


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